No Strings Attached
by Aownr1669
Summary: How successful will they be at keeping things casual?  Daryl X OC.  Rated M for adult language and situations.
1. Chapter 1

**No Strings Attached**

**Chapter 1**

It was one little thing that made me notice her. Made me start thinking about her in _that _way. Wasn't her tits. Or her ass. Those were nice enough. Ok, those I'd noticed right off the bat. I'd be lyin' if I said they weren't pretty fuckin' sweet. It was her mouth. Her lips, particularly. They weren't huge like some of those chicks you see in the movies that have had all that crap stuck in 'em what makes 'me look big and gross, like they could eat your whole face. Nope. It was just the way they _looked_. The color. The way they told on her, said whatever she was thinking. They way they always looked all soft, smooth, like silk. I just wanted to feel them on me, ta' know what it was like ta' feel them on my skin.

Merle was a boob man. Jesus, he loved titties. Tha' bigger tha' better. Some a' tha' crap he drug home, n' I'm talking porn, not tha' actual thing, I swear I don't see how those women could stand upright. It was gross. They were gross. HE was gross. Now, don't get me wrong, I've never subscribed ta' tha' notion that anything more'n a hand-full was a waste, but there was a limit. But that was Merle. He was always testing limits. I fuckin' miss that.

Personally, I always thought a' myself as an ass-man. Nice, round, peachy asses. Curvy. Don't care for flat ones. I like a girl ta' have some meat on her, 'specially back there. Nice for grabbin' and squeezin'. Something to move just _right _in a tight pair a' jeans. I don't want a lot of junk in tha' trunk. Just a weekend's-worth, not a whole two-week vacation.

So the first thing I did when she climbed down from that balcony, after I made sure she pointed that damn AR-15 away from me, was ta' check her out. I had to, fuck, she was tha' only girl in tha' group a' five. I saw Shane, T-Dog 'n Glenn doin' tha' same thing. She had on jeans n' hiking boots, a grey one-pocket t-shirt that was 'bout two sizes too big, n' her dark hair was stuffed up under a nasty Chicago White Sox baseball cap. She looked like a little kid. Well, no, she didn't. Merle woulda' been pleased, let's just say, but I noticed her mouth right off tha' bat. Small. Pouty. Lower lip fuller than tha' top one. Pinky-purple-y, perfect. What color would they call that? Oh, yeah, mauve. Maaaauuuve. Mmmmmm-mauve.

When they were making introductions, I noticed that she sucked up the corner a' her lower lip a tiny bit when she got nervous. When they introduced her around 'n I nodded at her, she blinked slowly 'n didn't say a word. A minute later, I looked at her 'n saw her watching me outta' tha' corner a'f her eye. She was biting half a' her lower lip. Apparently I make her real nervous.

I watched her around camp. She was quiet. Shy-acting. She didn't talk none hardly at all, kept ta' herself. Tha' only people she really did talk much wi' was Carol Peletier 'nthe Grimes' kid, Carl. I think she 'n Carol got a lot in common, maybe. I know Carol got beat a lot by her old man, maybe this one did too. Maybe that's why she stays away from the guys, even the ones she was with before. Hate ta' think they'd done anything bad ta' her.

Carl seemed ta' be tha' only one I ever saw get her ta' laugh. She had a giggle ta' her laugh. Not a great big loud laugh, but a quiet one, no big surprise there. She was quiet about most everything. She 'n Carl would sit playing cards for an hour atta' time, talking quietly. Giggling, their heads bowed together. When Carl was wearing Rick's big-ass sheriff's hat, sometimes all you'd see a' him was that damn hat bobbin'. Rick 'n Lori just shook their heads 'n let them have at it. Guess it was good ta' have Carl laugh again. He'd taken Sophia bein' a walker hard as tha' rest 'a us, maybe harder.

We been holed up in a old motel for a couple months now. It was one a' those 1940's types wi' little cabins all around a circular drive wi' a little playground out front, not that we had kids anymore. Carl sure weren't no kid anymore, tha' kind of things he'd seen. Wasn't much 'n wasn't pretty but we were safe enough for now 'n we were so far off tha' beaten path that there weren't hardly any walkers, once we'd taken out a couple a' tha' former residents. We were pretty lucky bein's there was a grocery supply warehouse up tha' road aways, about ten miles. We loaded up a couple trucks wi' canned goods 'n dry food, much as we could, 'n filled one a' tha' cabins so we didn't have ta' go back so often.

We'd settled into a routine pretty quickly. There was a huge woods behind tha' cabins, lotsa' deer 'n other stuff. We ate good for tha' most part, people got comfortable, everybody started ta' relax. Too much. People started settlin' in.

I handed her my lighter and she took it slow, cautious, like she didn't quite trust me. Good thing if she knew what I was thinkin' half the time. I'd followed her out here on purpose. She lit her cigarette 'n took a deep breath, handing tha' lighter back ta' me. She nodded a thank you 'n took another big drag, blowing th' smoke out her nose.

"Think things are going ok?" she asked quietly.

" S'pose so." I said, takin' a couple steps towards her. She leaned tha' rifle against a tree and crossed her arms. "You?"

"Think things are going too good." she said. "We're getting too comfy. Starting to loosen up too much."

"Yup." I nodded my head.

"Not good. I'm more worried about other people than I am about walkers."

"Hear ya'." I said.

"I think we need to find someplace more secure. Fenced. Easy to defend."

I nodded my head again.

"On the other hand, it's nice just to sit and chill a bit." she smiled slightly, bowing her head and looking up at me from under her cap.

"Yeah." I watched her lick her lower lip unconsciously 'nI took another step towards her. "People startin' ta' settle down, play house."

"Exactly. Stupid. Can't get attached nowadays." she said, grindin' tha' cigarette butt out wi' tha' toe a' her boot.

"What 'bout you?"

"What _about _me?" she said, lookin' at me, her lower lip almost disappearin'.

"You attached ta' anybody?" I said quietly.

"No. That's definitely _not _gonna' happen." she said firmly. I took another step closer to her. The breeze was movin' little wisps a' hair from her hat 'round her face. I reached up 'n pulled tha' cap off, letting her hair fall down. She was biting her lip 'n looking down at her feet, her hands stuffed in her back pocket. "You?" She looked up at me with those big, round, pale green eyes 'n I swear there were god-damned butterflies in my belly.

"Ain't 'tattched to nobody." I shook my head. I leaned my head in close, taking a deep breath. Jesus, she smelled good. Clean, like soap. We were so close I could feel tha' warmth of her skin. I leaned in a little further 'n brushed my lips against hers. I almost lost all control of myself right then 'n there. Those perfect lips. Soft and warm.

"What are you doing?" she said quietly.

"Not gettin' attached." I said, kissing her again. Her hands moved to my stomach and chest, pressin' lightly. This time she kissed me back hard. Long.

"No strings." she said, out of breath. "It is what it is, ok?"

"No strings." I panted. By this time, I'd backed her up against a tree pretty rough but it didn't seem ta' faze her none. In fact, I think she kinda' liked it. I sure as fuck did. I dropped the Horton 'n put my hands on her arms, leanin' in ta' kiss her again. I ran my tongue along her bottom lip 'n she moaned a little into my mouth. I started workin' on her belt, pullin' her shirt outta' her jeans 'n tryin' to at least get 'em down. We both knew where this was headin' and judgin' from the way she was kissin' me, she wanted it as bad as me.

I think I said "Fuck!" when I couldn't get the damn belt undone, so I just started on her shirt, pulled it up 'n over her head 'n let her do tha' belt herself. She popped tha' buckle without even stoppin' kissin' me 'n I pulled her jeans down 'n she stepped outta' 'em. I looked down 'n saw she was wearing a nice little pair a'white panties 'n I could feel me startin' to really get a hard-on. She was runnin' her fingers along tha' insides a' tha' top a' my pants while I was busy leavin' a nice-size bite-mark at tha' base a' her neck under her ear.

"Jesus Christ." I whispered in her ear when I was done with her neck. That's about tha' time that I looked down 'n snapped tha' front clasp on tha' white brassiere she was wearin' 'n it fell open, revealin' those perfect tits. I know I was prob'ly starin' but I didn't care. They were incredible. Soft, smooth, creamy white skin, dark pink nipples hard as walnuts. I put my mouth around one 'n she damn near slid down the tree.

All the while I was playin' with her tits, she had been workin' on my belt 'n had it undone 'n my pants unzipped, her hand running inside my boxers now, soft 'n warm against me. Her hand went lower 'n I felt her wrap it around me, causin' me ta' twitch 'n lean against her harder.

I had one hand on her 'n the other arm 'round her back ta' keep her standing up 'n I realized, shitfire, I didn't have nothing on me. Not that I usually carry something, but, you know. I closed my eyes 'n my head sank back. "Fuck me." I hissed, loud enough ta' make her jump.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Do you got a..."

"No, I figured you would have."

"I don't."

"Shit, we can't. We can't do this." she shook her head. "I'm not gonna' pull a Lori." she frowned. "Do you have _any _at all?"

"Couple. I think." I tried to remember if there were any left in any a' Merle's bags, not that he was a fan of condoms in the least, but he always managed to have a few on hand for those times when well, lets just say it was a good idea to have protection...for _both _parties involved.

"Damn it." she sighed. "So much for that." She smiled and glanced down. What a waste." She snapped her bra closed 'n bent down to pull up her jeans.

"So now what's the plan?" I said, tryin' to forget about the achin' and throbbin' going on.

"No plan. It'll happen when it happens." she shrugged. "No strings, no expectations." she said. "It is what it is, remember."

"Right." I nodded, trying ta' hide my disappointment. I leaned in 'n kissed her once more. "I'll catch ya' later." I said, zippin' my pants 'n tuckin' my shirt back in. I turned 'n walked off, picking up tha' crossbow a few steps from tha' tree.

"Hey Dixon." she called after me 'n I turned towards her. She had a crooked little smirk 'n her eyes were twinklin' even from this distance. "Later for sure." she said.

I turned and continued to walk 'n raised my hand in a wave beside my head. I made a bee-line for camp 'n my cabin...'n Merle's faded blue canvas back-pack wit' all his _personals _in it. Later can't come soon enough.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites. Y'all are simply wonderful!_

**No Strings Attached**

**Chapter 2**

_Faith picked up the gun off the table with her good hand and held it to her close. "No more." she said quietly as she turned around to face her former boyfriend. He'd found her in Atlanta and had been watching her for over a week, with her knowing. She'd been working twelve-hour shifts at the hospital for days now, everybody was so sick. She had decided this afternoon when she got off that she wasn't going back. She'd seen things that just didn't make sense. She wasn't a doctor or a nurse, but even she knew that something was terribly wrong. They could carry on without her. She was going to lay low until things calmed down and then, probably go looking for a new job. _

_"Fuck you, you little bitch. I've about had enough of your mouth." he said, taking a step towards her menacingly. Her whole left arm ached where Donnie had slammed her into the door frame while dragging her into the kitchen. "You don't wait up for me? You don't got dinner on the table when I get home? You don't even act glad to see me! Hell! You thought you could run from me, you thought you could hide? I found you 'n now I'm gonna teach you a little lesson about commitment." He was yelling now. "Put that fuckin' gun down, you ain't gonna shoot nobody, you stupid cunt."_

_She aimed the gun at his leg and pulled the trigger. The shot made the windows rattle but all she could hear was his scream as the 9 mm shell tore through the flesh and bone above his ankle. "You fuckin' shot me, you bitch, you shot me! With my own fuckin' gun even!" Donnie howled as he fell to the floor, blood pouring out the gaping wound. _

_"Get out. Now." she said calmly. "The next shot's going into your chest. I've had all I'm going to take of your abuse. Get the fuck out while you can." _

_The thin, black-haired man pulled himself to a semi-standing position, in large part due to one of the chairs at the table and leaned heavily on it, clearing his throat. _

_"I'm gonna kill you, you bitch." he said, trying to take a step towards her. Faith took a step back and aimed the gun at him. _

_"I'm not joking, Donnie. Get out. I'll kill you if I have to. It's over right now." she said, her voice clear, steady as she aimed the gun at his chest. _

_"I ain't goin' out there. People are acting crazy. Bitin' each other. Please, Cher, be reasonable. If we don't work it out tonight, I'll leave tomorrow. I promise."_

_"You'll have killed me by then. Walk to that door and get the hell out." She pulled the trigger and sent a round through a kitchen cabinet. "Gonna' count to three." _

_"Baby please."_

_"One"_

_"I can't go out there. You can't be serious about me goin' out there! "_

_"Two."_

_"Ok, alright, I'm goin'." he turned slowly, raising his hands and chucking something from under his arm towards her quickly. Faith knew his moves and ducked low as the ash tray spun in her direction, hit the wall and shattered into a million pieces in the cast iron sink. She stood up, lowered the gun and fired a round into the back of his arm, causing him to yell out once more. "You fucking' bitch. You whore, I'm going to kill you first chance I get."_

_"That's why you're leaving now, Asshole. You been trying for six years. I ain't gonna give you any more time to get 'r done." Faith said "get 'r done" in a low, mocking voice, almost as a single word. "Get movin'." _

_The dark-haired man grimaced, holding his arm as he limped to the door and turned the knob slowly. He glanced over his shoulder and Faith waved the gun, motioning him to go on. He opened the door and hobbled out to the porch, taking the steps one at a time, holding on to the white painted wooden banister with one hand. As soon as he hit the steps, Faith leaped across the room and fastened the chain lock and the deadbolt and moved a chair under the knob for extra peace of mind. Donnie continued walking down the little brick sidewalk to the street as she watched through the tiny window in the door. She saw three people from the street walk towards Donnie and then she turned away, knowing what was going to come next, not wanting to watch. Not wanting to listen._

_The two men and the woman approached Donnie with their noses up in the wind, walking a slow, ambling gate, moaning and growling with every heavy, plodding step. All three had visible wounds which were open and still bloody, their clothes were disheveled and bloody as well. They looked like something out of a horror movie, although no one had actually started calling the sick "zombies" yet. They were, at this stage, just "infected persons" or "individuals exposed to the virus" according to the media coverage a few days ago. _

_The woman reached Donnie first and he pushed her away. She wobbled but twisted around and came right back for him as the two men grabbed at him and pulled arms in different directions. The four struggled as Donnie screamed and kicked, trying to fend off his attackers. It was futile, he'd lost enough blood from the gunshot wounds that he was starting to become weak and dizzy, and he kept screaming for Faith while he threw punches and kicks as the other three bit and scratched him. The four eventually fell down to the ground and Donnie screamed as they tore chunks of flesh from him with their teeth. It was almost more than Faith could bear to listen to, but she knew that there was a very real possibility that Donnie would have done the same thing to her. Lord knows he'd tried to kill her a dozen other ways in the past. _

_Faith put her hands on her ears and closed her eyes, trying not to scream herself. She never thought that she would have the strength to fight back if he found her and she always knew deep in her heart that he would eventually find her. But things were different now. The world was changing. Something terrible was happening all over and if she was going to die, it was not going to be at the hands of her Donald Remy LaFourge Jr. _

She kept her eyes closed, listening for the screaming. All she could hear were locusts now. She opened her eyes and rubbed them and realized that she was sitting on the small step of her cabin-ette in camp, book in her lap. Donnie was long gone. Everything familiar was long gone. The old Faith was even gone. She stood up and looked around. There was a low fire burning with some men sitting in folding chairs around a grate of what looked like meat cooking. Two women were sitting at a picnic table with a young boy. There was a guy in a bucket hat with a rifle on top of an RV. She glanced down. There was no gun in her hand and no bruises or scratches on her arms or hands. She was alive. She'd survived so far just fine. Fuck you, Donnie, she thought. I _can _take care of myself. She shuddered at the next thought. I for sure took care of _you_, didn't I Donnie?

She looked around at the cabins on either side of her. Quaintly dilapidated, different bright, happy colors long since faded into weathered and cracked coats, peeling from year after year in the hot Georgia sun. One guy on a porch of a blue cabin. Looking back at her while he sharpened a huge hunting knife on a whetstone. Scree, scree, scree, the knife moved in even, circular motions, punctuated every now and then by the sound of wet spit slapping the stone.

The guy looked rough. Disheveled brown hair cropped close, scraggly whiskers on his chin and jawline, upper lip. Dirty, worn gray work-pants, dark mud-stained work boots dangling off the edge of the porch. His arms were easily showcased by the fact that the sleeves had been cut off the tattered, once brick-colored, button-down shirt. Heavily muscled, like they were cut from marble, those arms belonged on a Greek statue more than a backwoods country boy with a chip on his shoulder.

The sudden lack of noise from the whetstone made her look at him and as she did, she unconsciously bit the corner of her lower lip. Her "tell" as Donnie use to say. She wondered what it was telling the guy with the knife. He nodded his head and returned to the knife as Faith looked down and attempted to contain a sly grin as it tried to escape. If Donnie could tell what she was thinking by looking at her, surely this guy could too. He must not be able to right now, however, or else he'd have put down that knife and pulled her into the woods. Daryl Dixon had that effect on her. She'd been aware of it the minute she laid eyes on him.

Faith also realized that by the time she figured out how _much _trouble Daryl was going to be, it was too late. She was a moth. He was the flame undulating slowly, flickering, barely perceptibly on an invisible breeze. Glowing yellow, scorching white-hot. His eyes the color of the blue at the tip of that damn flame. One touch and she knew she'd get burned. Faith Carroll walked slowly into her cabin and laid down on the lower bunk, all but willing herself not to think about Daryl Dixon.

XXXXX

I was watchin' her as she closed her eyes 'n put down tha' book she was readin'. I think she was dozin' off. It was hotter 'n it'd been for tha' past week 'r so n' we'd been clearing brush until it got too freakin' hot ta' work for a while. We were all swelterin'. Now's when I really miss that little lake we had near that first camp. It wasn't much but on a day like today, a nice dip woulda' been sweet. I let my mind wander ta' skinny dippin' wi' her in that lake. That'd be sweet too. Next thing, I look up 'n her head jerks back a little 'n she's frownin', her eyes still closed. Then her eyes fly open 'n she looks around like she's forgot where she is 'n she's tryin' to figure it out. I stopped workin' on my knife long enough ta' catch her eye 'n make sure she was ok, but when she saw me lookin' at her, she just bit her lip 'n looked back down. There she goes again. She's torturin' me 'n she don't even know it. Before I know it, before I can get her attention again, she's off in her cabin. Damn it.

XXXXX

"So they never bothered ya'?" I was curious. "None a' 'em ever tried nothin'?"

"Didn't say that." she said, rollin' from her stomach ta' her back. "Ever notice Bill's thumb?"

"Noticed it sticks out crooked 'n shit."

"Yup." she said, foldin' her fingers together 'n then twistin' them outwards, poppin' them loudly.

"No lie?"

"I told him if he grabbed my ass one more time, he'd be using his left hand for jerkin' off for a long time."

I laughed loudly. She was so calm about shit. "Remind me not ta' piss _you _off." I said, rolling on top a' her. I loved tha' feel a' her under me. It was my new favorite thing, I think. I stretched out her arms like she was Jesus on the cross 'n let drew in a loud breath. "Mu-ther..." I said softly, letting my eyes roam.

"This was number four."

"What?"

"This was the fourth time we've had sex." she said.

"And?" I said, sitting back on my knees, pulling her up to me, my hands 'round her waist.

"And nothing. Just stating a fact."

"You gettin' bored r' somethin'?" What the fuck did she mean by that? She's countin' how many times we fuck? She keepin' score or somethin'?

"Stop being so defensive. I'm just saying that this is the fourth time we've done it." she rolled her eyes and let her hand wander, tracin' her fingers on the line of hair from my belly on down.

"Better stop 'r number five's gonna happen 'fore ya' can squeal." I said.

"You're all talk, Daryl Dixon." she giggled quietly 'n clamped down on me with her fingers, tuggin' gently.

"I'm gonna take that as a dare." I said. I smacked her ass hard with one hand ta' get her ta' let go a' me 'n quickly pulled her legs up when she started ta' shove me away. Then I flipped her on her back, fallin' on top a' her, pinnin' her arms. "You gonna' _squeal_, woman!"

She fought like a madwoman when I had her held down, kickin' 'n tryin' to hit me, rollin' her hips tryin' ta' knock me off 'a her. She wasn't makin' a fuckin' sound. Then I realized that she wasn't playin' 'round, there were real tears in her eyes. I stopped 'n let go 'a her right away.

"Get the fuck off of me." she whispered. "Get out."

"Sorry. Din't realize I was hurtin' ya'."

"You weren't. Get tha' fuck outta' here." she said, wiping her cheeks. "Get out, Daryl." She sat up quickly.

Holy shit. What'd I do? I was dumbstruck. "Faith, 's goin' on?"

She grabbed her t-shirt from beside tha' bed 'n threw it on quick. "Please. Just go." she said, turning away from me.

"I hurt you?"

"No. Just...fuck. Just please, go."

"If that's the way ya' want it, fine!" I hissed. I didn't know what tha' hell I'd done, but I sure as fuck weren't in tha' mood no more a' this crap. "I don't _need _this shit." I said, pulling on my jeans and grabbin' my boots. I got to the door 'n looked back at her. She was huddled in a lil' ball, her arms 'round her knees, her head down, eyes closed. In the candlelight, I could see tears were rollin' down her cheeks on ta' her knees. Fuck. This is 'xactly why I don't have girlfriends. Ain't no way you can tell how yer' doin' 'n when you do fuck up, you got no warning whatsoever. Jus' boom! You're a' asshole. I slammed tha' door shut behind me 'n stomped back ta' my own cabin, tryin' not ta' wonder what tha' fuck I'd done.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I turned over on my bunk and punched tha' pillow down flat. I din't get it. What tha' hell happened? One minute I was 'bout ta' score again 'n tha' next thing I know my ass is gettin' kicked out. Fuck sakes. I started thinkin' bout what I'd done, if I'd hurt her 'r somethin'. She din't holler. She din't yell. It wasn't 'til I was holdin' her arms down 'n tryin' ta'...fuck. I slapped my head wi' my hand. I was holdin' her down. If she's had a bad time wi' a guy, fuck. Idiot! What was I thinkin'? If some other guy'd roughed her up, hurt her? No wonder she freaked.

I thought about pullin' my pants back on 'n goin' right over there, but she was so upset. Maybe I just need to let her cool off, get it out a' her system. Yeah, she may not wanna' deal with it right now. I turned over ta' my other side 'n closed my eyes, 'n started thinkin' about her layin' there, naked. I ain't never met a girl like her. Around everybody else she acts kinda' shy 'n quiet. With me, it's like, I dunno. She still don't talk 'bout her past, she don't talk about feelin's much, but she seems different now. Lil' bit more relaxed. At least, she was 'till I fucked it up.

I caught myself thinkin' 'bout that mouth a' hers again. I loved tha' way it felt on my skin. That first time we did it, man, I about went wild. It was almost by accident, well, no. I was waitin' ta' get her alone. She'd gone into tha' storage cabin ta' get some supplies 'n I followed her in 'n shut tha' door behind me. When she turned around, she looked at me 'n put tha' canned goods down 'n said "Well, I guess later's finally here." I don't think I've ever moved as fast in my life as I did crossin' tha' floor a' that damned cabin. I'd been dyin' ta' get back ta' her ever since tha' day before, in tha' woods when she kinda' laid down tha' ground rules.

I had her up on a 20-pound bag a' rice on top a' some crates with her shirt off quicker 'n you can say "trojan" and damn if I didn't have one on me this time, too. Ain't leaving home without one no more, no way. Don't think either one a' us stopped for a second ta' even consider that anybody could'a come waltzin' in n' catch us mid-fuck, pants down, so ta' speak. I sure as' hell didn't care. All I wanted was ta' taste those lips 'n ta' feel that mouth on me.

I 'member what she was wearin' under that button-down green blouse. White lace bra, tha' kind ya' could see right through. It snapped in front 'n took all a' 'bout half a' second for me ta' get undone. It was hard ta' leave that mouth, though. My tongue was pretty busy 'n she was holdin' her own while she was tryin' ta' unbutton my shirt. She tasted so good, warm 'n sweet like honey on warm biscuits.

Faith wrapped her legs 'round my hips 'n lifted up as I pulled down her pants. She let go long enough to pull mine down 'n before I knew it, I was ready ta' be inside her. Man, that first push. Like a slow trip to heaven. Good God, it was amazin'. My arms were around her back, holdin' her up, holdin' her closer. She closed her eyes 'n arched her back as she locked her arms 'round my neck, holdin' on for dear life.

It didn't take long, I guess it'd been a while for both a' us. It was fast 'n hard 'n I don't think neither one a' us was quite expectin' it to be that...intense. At one point I looked at her 'n she was lookin' back at me, her eyes darker than they usually are, burning into me. I don't think we took our eyes off a' each other from that point on until we were done. She didn't make a sound either, 'cept for a whimper at the end, when she came she put her head against my chest and kinda' whined softly as she finished.

She unlatched her ankles 'n slid down, pulling her clothes on as quick as she could. "Damn, Dixon." she said quietly, smilin' as she was buttonin' her top. "Way to make a first impression."

I was tuckin' my shirt back in my pants 'n looked up. I know there was a grin on my face a mile wide. Faith smoothed her hair out 'n put it up in a loose bun. Weren't no hidin' what we'd just done, if that's what she was tryin' to do. Her skin was flushed a rosy pink 'n she was still breathin' a bit ragged. Plus, there was that _look _on her face. I smirked ta' myself, kinda' proud that I'd _put _that look on her face, thankyaverymuch.

"We done here?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah. Guess." I said, shruggin' my shoulders. Must not be one for cuddlin', thank God.

"Ok. Thanks." she said, reaching up on her tippy-toes 'n kissin' me on the cheek. "Feel free to do that any time." she whispered n' picked up tha' case of cans, walking out tha' door, her boots hollow on tha' wooden floor of tha' cabin. I watched that ass move away from me 'n out tha' door 'n thought to myself, Daryl, ol' buddy, you may have just hit the jackpot. Woman who can screw like that, looks like that, 'n don't want nothin' more from ya'? My next move was a big ol' fist pump 'n a pretty loud "boo-yaaah."

XXXXX

I picked up the handful of bolts I'd been sharpenin' 'n stuffed them in tha' backpack next ta' me at tha' table. Carol looked at me n' shook her head. "You're going to be gone for how long?"

"Dunno." I said. "A while."

Faith looked away. She was openin' cans of vegetables, tryin' to pretend she wasn't listenin'.

"Why now? We're good on food. Do you really have to go?" Carol kept pressin' me.

"We need meat." I said quietly, checkin' tha' string of tha' Horton.

"Really? I think we're ok, what do you - "

I cut her off as fast as I could. "I'm goin'." I said, lookin' at Faith out of tha' corner of my eye. She turned her head towards me, here eyes wide. I looked straight at her 'n looked away slowly, standin' up 'n walkin' towards my tent ta' pick up an extra knife. She was standin' there, outside when I came out. She didn't say anythin', just looked at me, bitin' that lower lip.

"You got somethin' ta' say?" I hissed.

She looked down at her feet 'n then looked back up slow. "Be careful."

I brushed past her, not lookin' at her, slingin' tha' crossbow over my back an' walkin' towards tha' woods. No way was I gonna look back. No fuckin' way. I couldn't.

Tha' whole time I was out, nearly a week, I spent pissed off. Just plain pissed off. Caught a lot of game, but I spent more time thinkin' 'bout Faith. I'd gone from feelin' bad ta' bein' pissed off. Don't know if I was pissed off more at her 'r me. Damn it, I felt bad if I'd hurt her but shit, I didn't know. She shoulda' told me instead a' kickin' me out. Fuck, I had no idea what'd happened ta' her. She's gotta' cut me some slack.

When I got back ta' camp, I unloaded my shit 'n got cleaned up good. I didn't see her nowhere so I asked Dale 'n he said she'd been stickin' pretty close to her cabin for a couple days. I walked over 'n knocked on tha' door.

She was sittin' on the bed when I walked in. "You're back." she said, puttin' the book down on her lap. There wasn't any emotion in her voice, s' like she was just statin' a fact. I couldn't tell if she was glad ta' see me 'r wanted ta' slug me. "Anything eventful?"

I shook my head slow 'n just stood there, my arms crossed over my chest.

"You're still mad." she said quietly. I still didn't say anything. She licked her lower lip 'n cocked her head sideways. "I thought we said no strings attached."

"Yup."

"So what's the deal?"

"You freaked on me."

She signed. "I know," she said, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry. I just..." I moved slowly 'n sat down on tha' foot of tha' bed. "I don't like bein' held down."

"I reckon."

"Can you promise not to do that again if I promise not to flip out on you?"

"Who?"

"You."

"No. Who hurt you?"

"We ain't goin' there." she shook her head. "Just two rules, ok? Don't hold me down. Don't ever hit me."

"Who." I repeated. She wasn't gonna' get off that easy.

"It doesn't matter." she said, studying tha' ceiling, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry I did that, now can we just drop it?"

"No. Yer' givin' me rules now 'n I don't even know why." I hissed, turning my back ta' her.

"Don't you turn your back on me." she said in a low voice. "I said I don't want to talk about it, so get over it."

"Fuck you!" I got up and turned around. "I don't need this shit. I don't need _you_."

"Well, I sure as _hell _don't need you prying into my personal life, either, so fuck you too!" She narrowed her eyes at me 'n glowered, her fists balled-up. I just stood there, lookin' at her. This wasn't the way I wanted things ta' be. Christ, I hadn't seen her for' a week. "You got something _you _want to say to _me_?" she snarled.

"Not a fuckin' thing." I yelled. God _damn _it. I know good 'n well what she would'a told me anyway. What tha' hell was tha' big fuckin' secret? So her old man smacked her 'round. Happens all tha' time. Carol's did too. I know that's why they get along so good. What tha' hell's she gettin' so pissed at _me _for? Fuckin' women. Ya' just can't win.

I walked back ta' my cabin 'n sat down on tha' bed, undoin' tha' laces. I slid one of 'em off 'n chucked it, makin' a hard thud when it hit tha' door 'n another'n when it hit tha' floor. "Fuckin' bitch." I said quietly. I laid there until well after dinner, half-dozing, half tryin' ta' figure out whether 'r not I really wanted ta' be done wi' her for good. I heard the door open 'n close softly 'n when I rolled over, I could see Faith leanin' against tha' door, her eyes red and swollen. She'd been cryin', a fair bit, too, judgin' from how she looked.

She just stood here for tha' longest time.

"_You _got somethin' _you _wanna say now?" I said, more anger in my voice than I had intended. I know it came our harsh tha' minute I said it but by then I couldn't take it back.

"Donnie." she said, her voice cracking. I looked at her, my head turnin' sideways. She closed her eyes 'n swallowed big. "His name was Donnie."

"And?"

"And he tried to kill me. Several times."

"So why'd ya' stay?"

"Didn't think I could leave? He'd promise to stop? Maybe, I thought I could change him? I dunno Daryl, I guess when you hear that you're too stupid to live and you're so ugly no other man would have you _often enough_, you just start to believe it." she took a deep breath 'n kept her eyes down at the floor. "You start thinking you don't have any options."

"So..."

"So one day as I was getting some stitches out, a nurse sat me down and asked why I just didn't just kill myself now, rather than let him do it for me and it...it got to me. I left that day." She crossed tha' room slowly 'n sat down by tha' bed. "Took him over a year to find me."

"Ya' went back ta him?"

"No." she whispered as she closed her eyes. She bit her lower lip hard 'n I could see she was startin' ta' well up. She opened her eyes. "I did _not _go back to him." she said, her teeth clenched. She sat there for a while, starin' at my knees. Her eyes were kinda' glassy 'n unfocused, like she was rememberin' somethin'. She closed her eyes 'n started ta' shake her head slowly.

I leaned forward 'n grabbed her arms. "Faith." I said. "_Faith_." She opened her eyes wide 'n latched on ta' my elbows.

"I killed him." she whispered, her face going white.

"What?"

She kept shaking her head, here eyes were huge now, starin' at me, her fingers ice-cold on my elbows. "I did it. I killed him."

"Wait a minute. What?" I pulled her up ta' tha' bed 'n sat her down gently. "When? How?" She was starting ta' shake again.

"He found me. There were walkers. I made him go outside. I did it. He was going to kill me but he left his gun on the table. I killed him." She wasn't makin' no sense.

"Slow down." I said. "Start from tha' beginnin'."

"He showed up. I came home and he was in my house. I always thought he would find me sooner or later. He had a gun. I knew this time he was serious about killing me. It'd been over a year and he was soooo pissed. I grabbed his gun off the table."

"So ya' shot him."

"Yes...No..." she shook her head. "I did, but that didn't kill him."

"Ok, ya' grabbed his gun. Then what?"

"I shot him in the leg. Told him to get out. He kept coming so I shot him in the arm. He..." she drew in a shaky breath. "He figured out I was serious tis time and left. He...he went outside and they got him. There were walkers outside and...and...they smelled the blood and they jumped him and..."

"Holy fuck." I whispered.

"I killed him."

"No, ya' din't. Ya' protected yerself."

"I shot him. Twice. Maybe he could have gotten away..."

"Ta' come right back 'n finish tha' job? He had a gun 'n he was gonna' kill ya. Ya' had ta do what ya' did."

"That doesn't make it right."

"Ain't no right 'n wrong nowadays. Whole world's gone ta' shit." She was just lookin' at me, searchin' my face for somethin', like she wanted ta' believe what I was sayin'. I pulled her ta' me 'n held her tight for a second until she pulled away.

"You're not upset?"

"Fuck why?" I wasn't sure why she thought I'd be upset. She should a' done it a long time ago, from what I heard.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Not unless you're gonna' get pissed off 'n shoot me." I grabbed her hands before she could hit me.

"How can you make a fucking joke about this?" she said, her shoulders droppin'. "I just told you I murdered somebody and you make a joke?" She was starting to tense up. "Wow. Thanks a lot, Dixon."

"Stop sayin' that. Ya' didn't murder _anybody_."

"He'd be alive today if it weren't for me. I shot him. Twice. And then I sent him out there with those things, knowing what would happen."

"He'd be alive 'n you wouldn't." I said quietly. At that point, she took in a deep breath 'n her shoulders dropped. "He deserved ta' die. Man just don't put his hands on a woman." I let go of her hands slowly. "Not like that." I shook my head. Faith closed her eyes 'n put her head down. I pulled her closer, tryin' to be as gentle as I could. "Lemme' show ya' how a Dixon does it." I said in her ear.


End file.
